Free Dicing with Death by Beth Chambers

very gently unscrewed the stopper and carefully placed a drop on to the dog’s wound.
    All eyes fixed on the dog.
    The silence was broken by a whimper.
    It works
, Max thought.
The elixir really does work
. The dog lifted its head and feebly wagged its tail.
How did my dad get hold of it?
    Ralf pushed a gun back in to his jacket pocket. ‘Is that evidence enough, Mr Hoffman?’ he asked.
    The balding man looked up and smiled slowly. ‘Call me Larry.’

Chapter Fourteen
    Overhead an ominous rumble sounded. Every eye swivelled up to the ceiling.
    â€˜What was that?’ Greg frowned.
    Max knew exactly what it was. It was thunder – the kind of thunderclap you read about when the gods have been angered.
    â€˜Let’s wrap this thing up,’ Larry said briskly.
    â€˜Have you got the money?’ Ralf asked.
    Larry gave a short dry laugh. ‘You think I would just hand over a hundred million euros without seeing with my own eyes that this stuff actually works?’
    â€˜You’ll make that amount a hundred times over once you’ve found out how to replicate the elixir,’ Greg pointed out.
    Ralf’s expression darkened. ‘I think you’ve been wasting our time…’
    â€˜Relax,’ Larry interrupted. ‘The money’s here, but it’s in a safe. There’s a million in cash and therest will be made by electronic transfer.’ He jerked his head at a door at the opposite end of the room. ‘This way.’
    A hundred million euros!
Max was having a hard time getting his head around such a huge sum of money.
    Ralph followed Larry through into the adjoining room, shutting the door firmly behind them.
    â€˜Max, you’ve got to stop them,’ Liah hissed.
    Max was already untying his belt. What were the words Death had spoken to make the belt turn into a weapon? ‘How’s your haggis?’ he attempted.
    Nothing happened.
    â€˜Cage your maggots,’ he tried again.
    â€˜Oh for goodness sake, it’s
Age quod agis
,’ Liah snapped.
    Greg looked their way, his eyes wide with surprise.
    â€˜
Age quod agis
,’ Max gabbled, imagining the first weapon that came to mind. The rope turned into a long length of braided leather.
What, so I’m Indiana Jones now?
He stepped forwards. ‘Give me that,’ he said to his father. His voice came out as a squeak, nothing like the butt-kicking tone he’d been going for.
    Greg’s mouth opened in terror. Max suddenly realised that he and the bullwhip were still invisible.
    He pulled off his hat and watched Greg’s terror turn to shock.
    â€˜Give me the elixir, Dad.’ Max twitched the whip warningly.
    â€˜Max…’ His dad looked nervously at the closed door behind him. ‘I have no idea how you got here or what’s going on but you need to get out of here, now. This is none of your business.’
    Max wondered how he could possibly get his dad to part with the elixir. What could be worth more than a hundred million euros? Suddenly he knew. ‘It’s Amy,’ he said. ‘I need the elixir to save her.’
    Greg looked confused. ‘Is she sick? Your mum didn’t mention – ’
    â€˜She’ll die without the elixir,’ Max burst out. ‘I have to have it, Dad.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, Max,’ Greg held out his hands in apology. ‘When I’ve got the money I’ll give you some of it to help her. But you have to understand, bad things happen in life. What makes you a man is learning to deal with them.’
    He’s really ready to let Amy die so he can get his stinking, lousy money
, Max realised. Never had hefelt such rage – not even on the day when his dad had walked out on them. Realisation hit him like a freight train.
David would have turned down the money in an instant if it meant saving me
.
    Gritting his teeth, Max leapt forwards and snatched the elixir.
    â€˜Thank you, Max.’ Liah